Suspected jihadist suicides in Morocco cell: prison

A suspected Moroccan jihadist arrested in the killing a police officer took his own life in prison Wednesday, the kingdom's prison authority said.

The man, suspected to be affiliated with the Islamic State group, was among three arrested on March 15 over the killing of an officer whose charred body was found earlier that month near Casablanca.

The suspect died by suicide at the prison in Sale, near the capital Rabat, where he was taken on March 27, the prison authority said, adding that the relevant prosecutor and his family had been informed.

According to the initial findings of the investigation, the three suspects had pledged allegiance to IS and "were determined to take part in a terrorist plan" by killing a police officer, a statement from the DGSN security said at the time of their arrest.

The policeman's burned and mutilated body was discovered on March 2 in a rural area of the Casablanca region.

Though Morocco has largely been spared militant attacks in recent years, its forces are regularly involved in counter-terrorism raids and have reportedly foiled several attacks.